Dublin patients more likely to get beds

A BED shortage in Beaumont Hospital is impacting hardest on patients from outside of Dublin.

Only four of every ten patients from the north west, suffering from diseases such as motor neurone, MS exacerbations and epilepsy are admitted to the hospital within one month of being referred.

However, the bed crisis is benefiting Dublin patients, in particular, with a high percentage from the capital being admitted quicker to Beaumont.

Neurologist Dr Orla Hardiman told the Irish Medical Times: “Because of problems with bed management and our inability to ‘book’ beds for patients, if a bed becomes available at short notice, it is easier to offer it to somebody who lives in the vicinity than to somebody who must travel.”

A study, conducted by Beaumont, focused on 162 urgent or emergency neurology admissions who should have been admitted the same day.

It showed 70% of patients from the Eastern Region Health Authority were admitted within one month compared to just 40% of patients from Donegal, Sligo and Leitrim. In other regions, the rate of admission within a one-month period to Beaumont was 56% in the Midlands, 63% from the Mid-West while patients from the northeast - Cavan, Monaghan and Louth - had a 50-50 chance.

Patients from the south eastern counties fared better, with 80% admitted within a four-week period.

Despite having centres in Cork and Galway, some patients from the south and west are referred to Beaumont.

Sixty-four percent of patients referred from the south and 80% from the west were admitted within four weeks.

Given the national centre status of Beaumont, it was expected that it would have a higher proportion of admissions from outside Dublin.

“The data at present looks like geographic origin is an important factor, said Dr Hardiman. “This has certainly been the experience on the ground.”

An analysis of the neurology list at Beaumont in January and March showed that 34% of those waiting are from the ERHA area, with 66% from the rest of the country.